Muffins, Muffins and more Muffins!
By Brenda Hyde

Orange Juice Muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups. Mix baking mix, 2 tablespoons sugar egg, orange peel and orange juice. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon; sprinkle each muffin with about 1/2 tsp of sugar mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Serve with butter and honey.

Banana Poppy Seed Muffins

Puree bananas in blender (1 cup). In medium bowl, mix bananas, egg, sugar, oil and orange peel until well blended. In large bowl, combine flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until evenly moistened. Spoon batter into greased 2 1/2-inch muffin cups. Bake in 375 oven 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. Dip warm tops in sugar. Makes 12 muffins

Apple Coffeecake Muffins

Grease large muffin tins or line with paper baking cups. Combine all filling ingredients; set aside. Combine cereal and milk; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in egg, brown sugar and oil. Mix remaining ingredients in large bowl. Stir cereal mixture into dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon half of batter into muffin cups. Top each with 1 tablespoon apple filling, pressing gently into batter. Spoon remaining batter on top. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool in pans 5 minutes; remove muffins and cool on rack. Store in airtight container.

Mandarin Orange Muffins

Drain oranges well and pat dry while mixing batter. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and allspice. Cut in shortening. Add drained orange segments and mix lightly. Combine egg and milk. Add all at once to flour mixture and mix until flour is moistened. Spoon into greased muffin pan to about 3/4 depth. Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from pan. While hot dip in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Lemon Blueberry Tea Muffins

Spray 24 mini muffin cups or 8 regular sized cups with cooking spray. combine muffin mix and lemon rind. Stir in water until just blended but still slightly lumpy. Quickly stir in blueberries. Fill cups 2/3 full Sprinkle with sugar. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes for mini muffins, or 15-20 for regular size muffins. Let stand a few minutes before removing from pan.

Dried Cherry Muffins

Combine the cherries and buttermilk in a small bowl, and set aside to soak for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 18 muffin cups or line them with paper liners. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and spoon the cherries and buttermilk into it. Then add the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until thoroughly blended - but do not overmix. Fill the cups two thirds full with the batter, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

Apple Butter Muffins

In a medium bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Combine egg, milk and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups with a round tablespoon of batter. Top each with a rounded teaspoon of apple butter and remaining batter. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 400 F. for 15-18 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Easy Blueberry Muffins

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. Mix milk, brown sugar, oil and egg in large bowl. Stir in baking mix and oats just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool. Delicious eaten warm with butter and honey!

About the author
Brenda Hyde is a wife and Mom of three, a freelance writer and editor of Old Fashioned Living.

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